Earlier this week the Missouri Department of Agriculture hosted the inaugural Missouri Beef Summit. The event stemmed from a question Missouri Governor Jay Nixon asked Richard Fordyce, Missouri Director of Agriculture, soon after he was appointed. That question: What are we doing for beef in our state?

Fordyce said. “We started to take an in depth look at where we rank as a state in beef production numbers and in quality. What are some of the enterprises taking place in the beef industry in the state of Missouri? We put that information together with conversations with industry leaders and the Governor’s office. It was determined that we have a lot of resources when it pertains to beef and it was time to bring this group together to talk about a forward look into the future of Missouri beef.”

As experts in academia, Missouri producers and leaders in other commodity groups sat on panels discussing adding value to the state’s beef supply, it was determined that the quality was present. What’s needed is to retain more cattle for a longer period of time. This might mean backgrounding more cattle in the state, additional feeding operations or maybe a packing plant. The opportunity for Missouri beef producers is there.

Fordyce said, “If I were another state right now I would be really concerned about what Missouri is doing. There is a lot of energy in this room. We have leadership across all segments of the agricultural industry in this room excited and motivated. While we want to take advantage of those additional opportunities to put value on cattle here in Missouri, we want it to spill over across our borders raising the entire beef industry up.”

As a fellow beef producer, it was exciting to sit amongst peers and listen to the passion for beef and leadership of a state. This process won’t happen overnight, but the road has been paved and the future is bright for all involved in the beef community.

Listen to my complete interview with Richard here: Interview with Richard Fordyce, Missouri Director of Agriculture

Photos from the event can be found here: Missouri Beef Summit photo album